Aspirin the unsung cure-all?

We have all taken an aspirin for a headache, body pain or fever and found a sense of immediate relief. To many of us this magical pill may be how we get through our more hectic days. In hindsight, not much thought goes into the 500 mg pill other than pain reliever. However, what if I told you that recent studies have revealed breast cancer preventative properties of aspirin. Now before we all go reaching for our closest aspirin, some pros and cons need to be considered.

Aspirin (in low doses), has been shown to prevent cardiovascular diseases such as heart attacks, strokes, etc. for individuals with a 10% or higher risk. The caveat is that results have not been seen until 5-10 years of regular aspirin use. The recommended aspirin dose by the US Preventative Services Task Force is 75-100 mg because of aspirin's blood thinning abilities. Beyond that, the recent study by City of Hope showed that low dose aspirin (81 mg) can reduce the risk of HER2 negative breast cancer in women up to 16% if taken three times a week.
Only low dose aspirin was effective compared to the regular strength taken for headaches or pain. Interestingly, the way that low dose aspirin works is through its aromatase inhibitor properties (by blocking the enzyme that makes estrogen in post-menopausal women). This reduction in estrogen may reduce the likelihood of breast cancer developing. Moreover, aspirin reduces inflammation which can also decrease the risk of breast cancer developing or recurring. Aspirin, however, is not a treatment for breast cancer; rather it is a preventative measure against developing breast cancer in the first place or helping maintain remission.
Although there appear to be many hidden benefits to taking low dose aspirin, there are also health risks associated with it especially for individuals who are over 60 years old. This is because extensive aspirin use can cause gastrointestinal bleeding. Exercise, diet and lifestyle choices are always the best preventative measures but if you fit within the non-health risk category, aspirin may be the choice for you! 

A Day by Women, for Women

Yesterday was Mother’s Day, and while reading through the Sunday Philadelphia Inquirer I discovered something that as a daughter, mother and physician I never knew before:  rather than being a “Hallmark holiday”, Mother’s Day actually has its roots in a social reform and political action movement.  I learned that in 1858 social activist Ann Reeves Jarvis organized “Mother’s Day Work Clubs” in response to high maternal and infant mortality rates in the US.  The coalition raised money to buy medicines and hire mothers’ helpers for those suffering from tuberculosis,  inspect food and milk for contamination, and visit homes to teach mothers how to improve sanitary conditions.  

The Maternalist campaign (as it was subsequently dubbed) grew to over 10 million American women and became a formidable Washington lobby.  The funding secured for state-level programs on maternal and infant hygiene, prenatal health clinics, and visiting nurses for pregnant and new mothers contributed to a 10% decline in the overall infant mortality rate.  

Ann’s daughter Anna subsequently started a campaign to create a day commemorating the efforts and service of mothers like her own.  In 1908, the first official Mother’s Day was celebrated by 15,000 people in Grafton and Philadelphia.  A few years later in 1914, President Woodrow Wilson signed a resolution designating the second Sunday of May as Mother’s Day.  In light of all of the sociopolitical controversy and challenges facing us today, it’s heartening to know that women are ready to protect and defend the work of the Maternalists that started more than a century ago – and not only on Mother’s Day, but every day.   

http://www.philly.com/philly/opinion/commentary/mothers-day-its-all-about-infant-and-maternal-health-20170509.html?mobi=true

 

       Judith Wolf, MD                                       Associate Director, WHEP

Is Gluten Allergy Even Real?!

Have you ever seen labels at grocery stores claiming to be gluten free on items ranging from certain crackers to ketchup and wondered what gluten really is-- a made up word from marketing experts to start yet another diet fad or a legitimate condition?

Truth is, gluten is a protein found within wheat, barley, and rye (grains that are surprisingly found a wide variety of foods). Many of us do not have the enzymes to completely break down this protein, which often remains undigested in our gut. For those of us who are gluten tolerant, these peptides or pieces of proteins are eliminated. However, for those who are gluten intolerant, the peptides are dangerous to the body, because they may cross our intestinal barrier and cause the immune system to attack the villi of the intestine that are important for absorbing nutrients. Hence, this autoimmune disease may eventually lead to malabsorption which can be very serious.

The truest label of gluten intolerance is known as celiac disease, which affects 1 in 133 individuals though up to 85% have yet to be diagnosed.  Both genetic (1 in 10 people with affected close relatives are at risk) and environmental circumstances can play a role. The symptoms of celiac disease range from bloating, gas, diarrhea, weight loss, depression, abdominal pain, anemia, and with children, distended abdomen, dental defects, and failure to thrive. Sometimes, this disease may also cause dermatitis herpetiformis (DH) that can cause itchy blisters. The only known treatment is to have a gluten-free diet; taking probiotics is also encouraged. However, not all individuals who believe they are allergic to gluten may have celiac but are in fact allergic to other foods that may be associated with wheat or are victims of a "created disease" without an underlying biological condition. 

The problem today is that there is a significant rise in celiac disease. In the 1950s prevalence of the disease was approximately 0.2%. Today, however, this number has grown to 1% which may not seem large but statistically is 3 million people out of 300 million individuals. According to Dr. Guandalini in an interview with University of Chicago, this rise may be attributed to the extreme cleanliness many children born in the United States are accustomed to. This hygiene hypothesis suggests that babies are not exposed to the same level of antigens and bacteria as in the past. Consequently, our gut immune system  responds in a autoimmune or allergic fashion.
What is your opinion concerning combating this disease in our every day life?

Meghana Pisupati
IMS 2017

Research Looks Into Where Healthcare Dollars Are Being Spent

Ever wonder what your healthcare dollars go toward?  New data reveal that spending from 1996 to 2013 had gone far beyond individual treatment and helping alleviate co-pays for doctors' visits. The research breaks it down by 155 conditions, 6 types of health care, and 38 age and sex categories. Despite the growth in healthcare spending very little is known about how spending on each condition varies, especially by age. Healthcare spending in the United States is greater than in any other country in the world, so it’s very important to understand why. This study looked at government budgets, insurance claims, facility surveys, household surveys, and official US records from 1996-2013.


According to this study, the three most expensive conditions in 2013 were:

1)   Diabetes - $101 billion

2)   Ischemic heart disease - $88 billion

3)   Low back & neck pain - $88 billion

Another finding from this study showed that 38% of personal health spending in 2013 was for people over age 65.  Treatment of two conditions, hypertension and hyperlipidemia, were among the top 20 incurring spending. These results are not surprising, but it’s good to have factual evidence for it.

What makes this study different from its predecessors is that it “contains information and methodological improvements that were lacking in existing studies.” This will help “researchers and policy makers to focus more precisely on which conditions had increased spending, as well as on the ages and types of care where growth in health care spending is most accurate.” Hopefully this information will help to control US healthcare spending and at the very least provide a framework for future investigations into health care spending. Thoughts?

http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2594716

 Rachel Miller 

DUCOM 2017